24 JULY 2006

Here's a run down on what some of the media outlets had on yesterday's game.

• The SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE: John Shea tries to carry Susan Slusser's jockstrap, and he failed to cover the game on the field. Lots on Zito being traded, Nick Swisher complaining about A's fans and ridiculous notions that Zito is suddenly bad because the A's won last week in Zito's start...they also scored 15 runs.




• The OAKLAND TRIBUNE: Staffer Geoff Lepper and shows why he's a staffer. More on the fans, Zito and lame comments from Swisher and Macha.




• The CONTRA COSTA TIMES: Zito, Zito and more Zito...from Jonathan Okanes.




• The PRESS DEMOCRAT: Nothing online at the Press Democrat.




• The MERCURY NEWS: Syndicated from the Contra Costa Times




• The SACRAMENTO BEE: AP article for the A's, here's a piece on DJ - nothing on the RiverCats game.




• MLB.com: Urban another bland article; Zito, Macha quotes, then tries to crawl up Nick Swisher's ass to live with a comparison of Swisher to Peter Rose.

SYNOPSIS:


Where were all the regular hack beat writers? They seemed to be off for this Monday game.


Zito hangs a few pitches and the Red Sox hang a half-dozen and one on the board. The A's have their chances and blow them. But you wouldn't know that from reading the articles above.


Both teams had 12 base runners (hits+walks+hit batters). The Red Sox hit into zero double plays, the A's three. The A's left six men on base, the Red Sox five. Yet, the Bostons scored seven runs, the Oaklands just three.


CRITICAL SEQUENCE:

Oakland - Bottom of 6th	Score
Josh Beckett pitching for Boston	BOS	OAK
J Kendall walked.	7	1
M Kotsay singled to right, J Kendall to third.	7	1
M Bradley singled to right, J Kendall scored, M Kotsay to third.	7	2
F Thomas grounded into double play, shortstop to second to first, M Kotsay scored, M Bradley out at second.	7	3
J Payton grounded out to shortstop.	7	3

The A's could have cut the lead to two in the 6th. Or the 7th. Or the 8th. They scored one run despite having eight batters reach base in three innings.


NOTES:


Instead of calling out Eric Chavez' drop in the batting order lunacy, the media and the A's are trying to make us feel sorry for him. I've said it for several years; Eric Chavez is the most overrated player in baseball. The A's would be wise to look to trading Chavez to the Yankees for A-Rod and just eat the salary difference. Move Crosby out of town or to 3rd base. Crazy? As per the alternative of reading stories about Chavez' unexplainable injury?